How I Started Spraying Furniture: Which tools worked, and which didn’t

At the beginning of this year I finally made the switch to spraying furniture. I have been considering it for a long time and last summer (2014) I purchased an inexpensive HVLP spray gun with hopes that it would motivate me to try spraying furniture and I also needed it to more easily (and professionally) paint a bamboo dresser I had.

In this post I’m sharing all of the tools and products I have tried and letting you know what I have found works best and that I have continued to use. Some of the HVLP guns I mention didn’t work for me, but I want to include them so that it might help you find the best tools to start spraying furniture too! A more complete post detailing the specs on my compressor, what settings I use on my spray gun/compressor and my spray booth set up will be shared at a later time.

Building a Spray Booth – Setup

The ball finally started rolling when I convinced my parents to let me build a PVC pipe and plastic paint sheet spray booth in the garage. That was really the only option because we have a 3 car garage and didn’t want paint getting everywhere. Plus, the Seattle weather is never great for spraying outside (and you are subjecting the piece to getting bugs and debris in the finish). The spray booth is huge. Well it looks huge from the outside, but once you get a dresser in there and all the drawer it’s a lot more cramped than you might imagine. The frame is built out of 1″ pvc pipes and then I used plastic paint sheeting and just taped it on using blue tape and duct tape. This is nothing fancy or professional here, friends 🙂 I may eventually build a more sturdy and secure booth, but I wanted to try out spraying furniture first to see if it was something I would continue with (and it is!). What I do is just leave one end un-taped and open and close the plastic sheeting to get in and out of the booth and there’s excess of the plastic sheeting to the corners overlap a lot. I use sometimes use binder clips to keep it closed when painting. To protect the floor I used large pieces of cardboard. I honestly use cardboard almost anywhere I paint and do projects (in the garage, house, or on the back patio) and we just pick up the cardboard at Costco… because everything at Costco is bigger. After and sometimes during each project I vacuum out the booth to get the overspray dust off of everything.

I chose not to glue the PVC frame together so if I want to take it down when I won’t be doing a project for a while or move it outside during the summer.

Choosing a Spray Gun

I’ve heard a lot of people who start using the Critter Sprayer. You may have heard of that tool as well. It’s inexpensive and you can purchase it off of Amazon for about $40. Some of things that sounded good about it are it doesn’t require a large air compressor (you save on size and on space) and you just use mason jars to attach to the gun to hold the paint or sealer you are spraying.

Well after doing a bit of research I realized that there are numerous options for HVLP spray guns in a similar price range. Some are a higher priced than the Critter (think $60), but in my mind it made more sense to invest in an HVLP gun rather than buying the Critter.* I have since purchased a writer gun to spray oil primer since it’s easy clean-up and save me money by not buying the spray cans.* I was very weary about how I would like spraying and if it would be hard to learn and figure out. So after reading a few posts and seeing a few pins on Pinterest I went to Harbor Freight and purchased an inexpensive ($15 on sale) HVLP gravity fed spray gun. I do want to point out that I would normally never buy tools from Harbor Freight, but I took a chance on this one. It’s not something I would buy again, but worth it since it helped ease me into spraying furniture. Really, prices and cheap and so is the quality (though this gun was pretty well made, it didn’t work super well for me). But for $15 I just wanted to try it and the reviews I had seen were positive. Fast forward to 2015 when I finally decided to start working on the AOM bamboo dresser that had been sitting for close to a year. The people who really gave me more confidence about trying spraying were those people who I followed on Facebook and Instagram. Many of the people I follow all finish pieces with an air compressor and HVLP gun and not only do they get a smoother finish than brushing, it looked like it saved time (I’ll go into the time aspect and pros and cons of spraying later in another post).

The Harbor Freight HVLP gun had a 1.4 tip when I needed a 2.0 or 2.2 tip and needle are needed for thicker paints like acrylic or latex. I did successfully paint this piece with the HF gun. I sprayed on 3 coats of General Finishes ‘Snow White’ and 2 coats of GF’s high performance topcoat. It just took many passes with the gun since barely any paint would come out of the gun. I finally gave up on the gun since it didn’t produce the best finish and would often spatter and not spray enough paint.

Next I moved onto trying 2 Kobalt HVLP guns (one siphon fed, the other gravity fed) which came in a kit I purchased. I could never get the siphon fed gun to even work. I think the 8 gallon compressor I was using was not powerful enough to siphon the paint and spray it out, or it could have been user error. The other gravity fed gun that came in the kit was just too small and also only had a 1.2mm tip and needle. Ultimately, I ended up returning the Kobalt spray gun kit to Lowes since the siphon fed gun would not work and the other one wasn’t suited for working with the acrylic paint I use.

Finally, I made the switch to a Husky HVLP gravity fed spray gun that came with a smaller (1.4mm) and larger (2.2mm) tip and needle. I have not used the 1.4mm tip, only the 2.2mm tip (since I had already tried the 1.4mm tip on the HF and Kobalt guns with little success). It made a huge difference in how the paint sprayed and the volume of paint it sprayed. I still add a small amount of water to thin any paint I run through the gun, but in my experience the Husky gun is far superior when it comes to the sprayed finish. (I did switch to a larger compressor when I switched guns which also helped with the success I’ve had recently with spraying). If you are going to by a gun, get a Husky. I bought the Husky HVLP Composite HVLP spray gun from Home Depot for $70. It’s lightweight and has been working well for me. I just sprayed the most gorgeous high gloss finish on this credenza using it.

This video shows me spraying an end table using the Husky sprayer and General Finishes acrylic milk paint.

Also, be sure to purchase a filter for your gun to stop any water or debris from ruining your gun or getting into your paint finish. I purchased a Tekton oil/water separator off of Amazon and attached it to the end of my gun. It’s definitely worth the $10. You can also find other filters at your local hardware store.

Choosing an Air Compressor

After doing some reading about air compressors and HVLP paint guns I went to Lowes and purchased a Kobalt 8-gallon air compressor which ran me about $160. While I was there I needed to pick up a hose as well and saw a Kobalt spray gun kit with a siphon fed HVLP gun, a smaller gravity fed HVLP gun, hose and a few other little tools for $60. I purchased the kit to try out the 2 guns (I was still convinced the HF gun I bought was going to be crap) and a hose alone was $15-$20 so I wasn’t risking much (these are the same Kobalt guns I mentioned in the section above).

Well, the 8-gallon Kobalt compressor worked (after a few days of troubleshooting some problems). I used it for a while, but it was constantly having to turn on in order to maintain a full tank and the right psi, and it had low cfm’s. *If you want to read more and understand cfm’s check out this link which Sucheta shared with me. It helped me understand more about compressors and cfm’s!* The main thing to take from the article is cfm = power, and psi = storage.

I hadn’t planned on changing compressors, but I saw a 25 gallon Craftsman compressor pop up on my local buy-sell-trade Facebook group for $175 and I had to check it out. After consulting with some fellow furniture-painting friends (Sucheta of The Resplendent Crow was SO helpful, check out her blog for gorgeous gloss pieces!) I learned that a larger compressor and high cfm’s meant more pressure that would help with spraying the paints I use. I got the compressor for $140 after negotiating a better deal (plus the guy gave me a better price when he learned I was a college student running a business to support my education). It even came with a 50ft heavy duty hose and some attachments! So I returned my Kobalt compressor I had to Lowes since it wasn’t proving powerful enough along with the spray gun kit, and now I use my 25 gallon Craftsman Oil-less compressor with my Husky HVLP spray gun. If you are buying a compressor, buy a used one. You will save so much money. A new 25 gallon compressor with similar horsepower and cfm’s would have run me about $500 or more.

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Well, that’s how this whole spraying adventure started. As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, I will have a more complete post on the tools I do use, settings, spray booth set up, etc. You can definitely expect more tips and tutorials as I continually learn more about spraying. You can always email or leave a comment with any questions you have. I will answer the question and/or include them in the future post on spraying furniture with an HVLP spray gun.

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Comments

Thanks for sharing your tips and experience. I'm thinking it's unlikely that I will ever use more than a can of spray paint but I'm pinning – 'cos you NEVER know what is round the corner and I hate the idea I'd be saying in a year or two, now where was it that I read all that great advice!

Once you learn how to use it you realize all the other things you can do with one. I think I may be spraying all the doors in our house this summer and some cabinets. Makes it easier and results in a better finish (no brush or roller marks).

Great post!! How does your oil/water separator work? Do you have any trouble with your BM Advance since it is both oil and water? Also I read one of your other posts talking about how you use a shield for the overspray. The width of your spray fan must be small. What type of shield do you use inside the drawer area? Could you explain your proses in a little more detail on how you don't get over spray inside. Lastly do you ever have a problem with the paint dust settling on your piece or inside ware you don't want paint to be? I love your work! Thanks

Ha! I also went to HF store as well and bought a $20 spray gun to try it out. I'm new to spray painting and it is more for DIY stuff around the house rather than a business. I do plan to use chalk paint with my spray gun. Home made chalk paint with calcium carbonate. Eventually, I want to upgrade to husky but, I wanted to try a cheapy one out to see how it would be. Now reading your blog I'm having second thoughts. (btw, I'm new to your blog).

With the amount of furniture you paint, have you considered an HVLP turbine spray system? It eliminates the need for the air compressor altogether. While they can get pricey, if you’re doing this as a business, it pays for itself! I invested in one awhile back, and I love it! Also, something to consider for a spray booth set up that is a lot quicker to put up and take down – Zipwall. It has four adjustable posts that you use to attach a tarp that you can then extend to the ceiling and anchor to the floor. It’s AWESOME. Makes fast work of setting up a spray booth, or tarping off an entire space altogether (I use it for both purposes). When I’m spraying a kitchen, it is a godsend!

I’ve heard of them, but since I already have a compressor right now I don’t want to invest in one. I also have a busy schedule and am not painting as many pieces as I was last year. I’m also worried about the clean up, but I’ve heard it’s better for spraying things like poly since it’s airless. I do know about Zipwall and will consider it in the future when I want to collapse my spray booth more easily. Right now my spray booth is never taken down and my set-up works well. I’m definitely no professional, but it does the job! 🙂 Thank you for your recommendations!

Great information! I have had everything I need to get started with spraying (the Husky gun, air compressor, etc) for a long time, but just haven’t pulled the trigger yet (no pun intended). My only hold-up (ok, maybe pun intended there) has been the worry of overspray and knowing I need a paint booth to protect my garage and all the other stuff in it.

Question – how do you deal with ventilation and/or exhaust in your booth? What kind of mask do you wear?

I don’t deal with ventilation right now. Sometimes I open our garage door (the spray booth sits right by it) just a foot or two and roll up the spray booth wall there for ventilation. If it’s too cold or too warn and I don’t want that air coming in then I don’t. So far I paint just drawers, or the just the frame of a piece in one sitting which doesn’t take long so I paint, let everything settle and vent outdoors, then clean my spray booth late (vacuum, wipe down, etc.) I do have a respirator mask I wear with cartridges that I change out as recommended. I believe it’s 3m. I often wear safely glasses as well and paint clothes and gloves.

I love how compact this sprayer is. My boyfriend does professional painting and his industrial sprayer is so heavy and clunky. Also, the fact that this one does not require an air compressor is so handy! I might have to convince him to get one of these for his “smaller projects” {but then really just use it for MY home DIY projects ;). Thanks for sharing!

Reeves , Just fyi -Graco makes the best paint sprayers, I use a twin turbine HVLP . Mine is 14 yrs old still works fine and the newer models are amazing! Should be able to find a good used one for $300. Mine has a 2 gallon ‘pot’ that will accept a gallon can so the cleanup is easy. Love your furniture, keep going you will be one of the best ( decorator/furniture entrepreneurs) one day I am sure!

Hi, friend…I’m new to painting field and afforded a paint sprayer last week. I thought for searching some guidelines before painting. Your article guided me thoroughly in it. Now I’m gonna paint my house perfectly with your idea. Thank you….

Before I comment, I have been spraying cabinets and stairs for years now. best advise i can tell you is to use a 3/8″ hose with high flow connectors, not 1/4″ standard connectors. The next is to put a captive air tank between the gun and the compressor. This allows for the air out of the compressor to cool and gives you more air.

If you are a beginner and want to start a DIY paint spray projects, you need a good paint spray gun kit for your project or work. Here, we get useful and informative video for spaying. Thanks for sharing.

I’ve been thinking about getting a hplv spray gun for some furniture spraying, and I think that your article will be really helpful finding them. I think that being able to have a little bit higher priced gun to invest in like you said could be better for me. I’m going to have to see what my best options are when it comes to a spray gun and try to pick the best one for me! Thank you!

Hi Reeves, the article is indeed in-depth and helps a beginner see through your experience. Most users often start with a complete package and an easy setup such as a cup paint sprayer. With this, they are only spending a few dollars and they can start using right away. However, for someone who wants something more powerful and long lasting, they will find a lot of value in your post. Thank you for taking the time to write this article.

Your statement about cfm and psi was incorrect. You said: “cfm = power, and psi = storage”. cfm is a unit of measure of air flow and psi is a unit of measure of air pressure. So for an HVLP spray gun, you need high cfm (a lot of air coming out the spray gun) and low psi (not much force pushing the paint out the spray gun). This is why there is less overspray with an HVLP spray gun.

My limited experience with paint sprayers are the big airless sprayers used to paint a house. I have a large one, not quite professional size, but larger than the average homeowner. Do you have any experience or know anyone who has used one of these type sprayers to paint furniture? I’m remodeling a beach house and will be painting all the new bead board walls and trim with my trusty paint sprayer. After the house is done I have loads of old furniture that I’ve been stockpiling to paint for the interior. Most of the furniture will be a creamy white (like my walls) and distressed. I’m no novice to painting furniture using chalk, spray cans, and also painted some kitchen cabinets (turned out great), but all this furniture the same color makes me wonder if I can use my same sprayer to get it done in one fell swoop. I’d appreciate any advice.

Thanks for sharing your great experience. I have a very old bedroom furniture that has no paint on it. Though your article is very old, it guided me in painting my house. Now I am gonna paint my bedroom furniture also…..

I appreciate what you said about the numerous options of spray guns. I think that proper research prior will benefit if one were to pursue buying an entire spray booth. If I were to purchase one, I would take care of the equipment and contact the best supplier that I can find.

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